Making Something from an Old Wedding Dress

[MIGrandma]

I have my Mom's wedding dress, from 1955. I'd like to have something made from it, but not sure what. I don't want to throw it away, and I hate to just leave it in a box in a closet.

When my Dad passed away I had a queen-size patchwork quilt made from his shirts, and plan to have one made with the clothes I saved from my Mom as well. I originally thought of adding a few squares of the material from her wedding dress, and the tie my Dad wore in their wedding. But, those fabrics should only be dry-cleaned, so I wouldn't be able to wash/dry the quilt so I'm not sure about having those added to it now.

Has anyone here had anything made from an old wedding dress? What?

Or does anyone have any suggestions on what I could have made from it? And incorporating my Dad's tie would be great too, if possible. The only thing I could come up with were pillows. Or maybe a wall hanging with Dad's tie in the center?

 

[cabanafrau]

Mostly I've heard of wedding dresses being used to make family christening gowns -- and sometimes smaller remnants from that process being stitched into handkerchiefs given to future brides in the family on their wedding days. I think those are lovely ideas for honoring a loved one at future family events.

You might want to give some consideration to keeping the gown as is, and passing it down in the family. I've been seeing some articles about brides wearing gowns grandma wore or taking grandma's gown and having it reworked into a new gown so they can honor their loved one by "including" them in the ceremony.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My grandmother made pillows for all her granddaughters out of my great grandmothers wedding gown. We all cherish those pillows.

 

[NYCgrrl]

In addition to the fine ideas above you can also showcase it in a shadowbox with the tie at the base artfully folded and perhaps any ephemera (wedding announcement, invitation, etc) you might have.

Should you choose to keep it for future generations it might be time to switch to an acid free box, ditch the plastic covering and swaddle the dress in acid free tissue paper. Those items will keep the dress "breathing" and lessen the chance of colour deterioration and fiber breakdown.
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[MIGrandma]

In addition to the fine ideas above you can also showcase it in a shadowbox with the tie at the base artfully folded and perhaps any ephemera (wedding announcement, invitation, etc) you might have.

Should you choose to keep it for future generations it might be time to switch to an acid free box, ditch the plastic covering and swaddle the dress in acid free tissue paper. Those items will keep the dress "breathing" and lessen the chance of colour deterioration and fiber breakdown.
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Ooh, I like the shadowbox idea and with the tie included. Really like that. And I do have one of their wedding invitations, it's in their wedding book.

The dress was only stored in a plain cardboard box so it is already discolored from all the time (60 years!) inside that box. And it's missing a button too.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Ooh, I like the shadowbox idea and with the tie included. Really like that. And I do have one of their wedding invitations, it's in their wedding book.

The dress was only stored in a plain cardboard box so it is already discolored from all the time (60 years!) inside that box. And it's missing a button too.

Talk to the art conservation department at a local museum or university that teaches the courses. They might be able to to tell you how to clean it and bring back the original colour.

 

[kimblebee]

I know you want to keep it but my wedding dress was donated to a charity that makes burial outfits for babies.

 

[scrapquitler]

after you make whatever you choose to make with it, consider donating the leftover parts to Angel Gowns. They make donated wedding dresses into burial gowns for infants that get donated to the grieving families.

 

[NFLDERS]

I know you want to keep it but my wedding dress was donated to a charity that makes burial outfits for babies.

There are a group of "Angels" that sew these outfits here too. Our weekly paper shows the donated gown, and the finished outfits. They name the donor as well.

 

[Deb]

I've been holding onto my mothers as well and could use an idea

 

[Arkansan]

In addition to Christening gowns, I've seen them made into ring bearer's pillows. I also like the idea, sad as it is, of the burial gowns for babies gone too soon.

 

[cabanafrau]

I know you want to keep it but my wedding dress was donated to a charity that makes burial outfits for babies.

What a touching use for those gowns. I've never heard of this being done before. Makes you kind of pause when you think about it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I also donated my dress.

 

[Mizzoufan]

We made pillows